Chapter 5.2

Chapter5.2

Quinn lifted her arm and looked at the skin there. Looking more closely, something like scale patterns could be seen underneath. "Is that what made me feel like I needed to shed my skin?" she asked, swallowing hard. She couldn't imagine what she looked like with scales or claws.

Confirming this, Rei nodded. "Yes. That was because you got a dose of undiluted blood from Harri," he explained apologetically.

"Then wouldn't it make sense to continue with the undiluted right away?" Quinn wanted to know. "Wouldn't that speed things up?"

Sighing, he got up and walked around the bed so he could pour tea for them. The tray was on the other side with Quinn, but he didn't want her to do anything. "That's exactly where I'm unsure, and I've asked the Supreme for advice," Rei confessed sullenly.

Quinn looked thoughtful and absent-minded. "If it's a matter of getting the body used to it, surely it would also make sense to keep increasing the dose slightly and not take such a huge step right away."

He handed her the cup and then poured himself a glass of water. Before answering, he took a sip. "I didn't set up the rules and phases," Rei replied. "That's why it's only administered undiluted in small amounts."

"If I refuse, you will force me again," she remarked tonelessly. Although she had not found it wrong in itself, a certain reluctance had grown within her. Not because it caused her pain, but because it had felt humiliating.

Once again, he nodded. "I'm sorry. I wish it were different," he said dejectedly. He realized she would never take it willingly. And since it was his job to change her, he had to force her to do it.

Quinn swallowed. "Can't you do it while I'm sedated first?" she asked softly. "Or while I'm asleep?"

Rei shook her head apologetically. "I don't want to make you submissive, Quinn," he explained earnestly. It was important to him that she knew what was happening. Although he had to force her, he wanted her to have some control. "If it were up to me, all this crap wouldn't be happening, and I'd let you go."

"You're different from the other dragons," she remarked, "There are no women here, am I right?"

Mutely, Rei nodded, knowing that quietly. Women had no business on this island and would go insane here with all the men. Sooner or later, she would find that out anyway. There was no hiding that fact.

"Will you explain why?" she asked quietly but expected that he would not answer her.

As expected, he shook his head. Some things shouldn't matter to her. Besides, it would only panic her if she knew what kind of dragons the island was used for.

"What is Sector D?" she continued to ask, hoping for an answer here.

Frustrated, he shook his head again. His instructions were not to reveal where she was and what was happening here. He saw in her eyes that she was curious and wanted answers. As much as he would like to give them, he was not allowed. "I'm sorry," he said, frustrated and dejected.

"I see," Quinn muttered and sighed. The guard didn't seem very talkative. "May I help with breakfast?" she wanted to know cautiously. Hopefully, she would at least get an answer to that question.

This time Rei nodded. He was often described as taciturn and cold. That's precisely how he was. "You may. You'll have to get up very early for that, though. Once we continue with the transformation, you won't be able to. But you may help if Elgatos is there," he replied earnestly, looking directly at her.

Quinn lowered his eyes. "But he just went to sleep. I don't want to wake him," she confessed, well aware that the latter had spent the whole night with her.

"It's too late now, too. Breakfast will be ready soon. Besides, I want you to bathe beforehand," the guard explained. Cleanliness in the kitchen was an essential rule for all who were responsible for preparing the food. Rei promised her that Elgatos would take her there the next time it was time to make breakfast. If he watched over her during the night, he could get her to the bathroom in time and then to the kitchen.

"If I still have the strength to do that in the next few days," Quinn muttered, rising to go to the bathroom. She didn't particularly like that she had to go out and down the hall each time to do so, but it was good to stretch her legs a bit.

Rei followed her at some distance so she wouldn't feel like he was rushing her. "Right. If you're okay, I'll let you help in the kitchen. If not, then so be it. You're not here to work," he repeated his words on the way to the bathroom.

"I'd much prefer that, though," she muttered as she disappeared into the bathroom.

He followed her here as well but stopped at the door after closing it behind him. "Believe me, you wouldn't want to work here, among all these men," he remarked dryly, arms crossed. She was unaware of the situation she would find herself in. He, on the other hand, knew very well.

"I don't know what it's like here," Quinn whispered as she began to eye the tub, trying to remember how it worked. She didn't know anything about it herself.

Waving it off, he made a hand gesture. "That's not so important either, Quinn. Just be told that you're not supposed to be alone in the kitchen with them. You're only allowed there with Elgatos or me," Rei said forcefully. "Would you like a bath?" he asked as he followed her gaze.

Quinn looked up at him and smiled wryly. "If I may," she remarked. Somehow, she still didn't know how to behave.

Rei pushed himself off the wall and approached the tub. First, he bent down to put the plugin in its place. Now the tub could be filled without draining the water. After he straightened up, he pointed to the faucet that went up from the floor and hung a little way into the tub. Attached to the faucet were two magic stones that would ensure that water came out.

"That's where you turn on the water. On the left is hot water, on the right is cold. You can adjust the heat that is comfortable for you," the blue-haired dragon explained and briefly demonstrated by placing his hand on one of the stones. Immediately, the water began to ripple.

Quinn looked at the tub thoughtfully before she began to pour water into it. As she did so, she seemed curious but also cautious.

The dragon had stepped away from her and retrieved several vials from a cabinet, returning to her with them. On the flat of his hand, he held them out to her. Five small bottles of different colors were visible. "You can choose which scent you want in the water. Some have a calming effect. Others make you sleepy or have a disinfecting effect on wounds," he explained, watching her closely.

Thoughtfully, Quinn looked at the bottles. "I don't know anything like this," she murmured thoughtfully.

So Rei began to explain each bottle.

The blue one contained herbs that made you tired and helped you sleep.

The purple one contained lavender to calm one down.

Antiseptic herbs were in the yellow bottle, and in the green were these to relieve cold symptoms. In the last bottle, which was orange, were those that numbed one. "If pain is extreme, you should mix these contents with the yellow. Then they are anesthetic and antiseptic," he finished his explanation, looking at her expectantly. Curious to see what she would choose. The tub was already half full, and she could soon get in.

Quinn pointed to the bottle of lavender. "Soothing sure is good," she murmured.

Rei simply pressed it into her hand while he took the others back to the cabinet. In exchange, he now brought the liquid for shampooing and soap, which he placed on the entryway. Besides, two towels. One for her hair and one for her body.

In the meantime, the young woman had undressed and got into the tub. A warm sound left her lips as the warm water caressed her body. It felt so good. I wonder if she could bathe here regularly. Or was Rei only this kind at first?

Slowly and carefully, Quinn began to wash. As she did, she noticed the strange patterns under her skin that resembled dragon scales. "Are those really scale?" she asked, stunned, having some trouble washing because of the leather cage.

"I think so," replied Rei, who had turned away from her and was staring out the window at the barren, snow-covered landscape. At least there should be if she was stuck between phase two and three.

He hadn't looked at her closely, as there had been other problems, and it had been essential to ease her pain and panic.

Quinn made strange noises as she tried to wash her back and free her hair from the leather frame's neck strap.

Although it didn't quite look like it was the same as the men's, it still didn't seem to be made for women.

He briefly gave her a sideways glance and then pulled something out of another cabinet. It looked strange. A handle with a sponge attached to it. But not only did Rei retrieve that, but also an iron clamp, which he placed on her entryway. "You can use this to wash your back and use the clip to put your hair up," Rei explained without looking at her before turning back around and walking back to the window. He had a feeling she wasn't familiar with it, which was why he had given her an explanation right away.